Leafpool's 4th kit
by Echoing Dreams
Summary: Leafpool had 4 kits. She one with a loner to be raised outside the clans. Dream knows who her parents are and that she has clan blood. When tragedy hits, she will meet her siblings. But what happens then? I don't own Warriors. T- minor fight,small romance
1. Chapter 1

Leafpool lay with her kits curled around her.

Squirrelflight sat close by watching and purring as little Lionkit stumbled towards her, growling like he really was a lion as he pounced on his aunt. Squirrelflight allowed him, dramatically falling to her side like he really could knock her over.

Seeing their brother having fun the other kit's where quick to follow, and soon Squirrelflight had all four kit's growling and pouncing and swiping at her with their little paws.

"Be nice." Leafpool purred affectionately.

"But we're just playing!" Hollykit squealed, sitting up and acting perfectly innocent.

Leafpool chuckled.

"Look out!" a voice called from the entrance to the little shed, and the little jet black kit came flying forwards to playing with his friends.

"Sorry Squirrelflight." his mother, a beautiful dark grey she-cat walked towards them much more gracefully then her kit had.

"It's fine Beauty. He just wants to play too." Squirrelflight replied, smiling and nudging kit's off of her back.

"You've been so nice to let us stay here so I could have my kits. Thank you so much Beauty. Their lives will be so much easier if they are thought to be pure ThunderClan cats." Leafpool told the loner.

"It's no problem at all. I've enjoyed having you here." Beauty replied, flicking Leafpool's ear. "When will you have to leave?" she asked them.

"Early tomorrow morning." Leafpool replied.

Midnight scrambled away from Squirrelflight then, his bright blue eyes wide. "Your leaving so soon?" he squealed un happily.

Beauty pulled her small son towards her. "Yes Midnight, their clan cats, they have to head back home. You knew they where only staying for a little while." she told him gently.

Midnight hung his head. "Who will I play with?" he murmured sadly.

Dreamkit, the small black she-kit who reminded Leafpool so much of Crowfeather, raced up to her friend and pressed her head against his. "It's alright Midnight! I'll come visit you whenever I can!" she promised him.

Midnight lifted his head and began to purr.

Leafpool watched as her smallest kit began to purr as well, knowing that it would be impossible for Dreamkit to ever see Midnight again. She felt so bad about it too, of all her four kits Dreamkit had grown the closest to Midnight and his mother.

That night Leafpool lay awake while everyone was asleep.

Lionkit, Jaykit and Hollykit where all curled close to Squirrelflight so they would grow to think that she was their mother.

But Dreamkit was curled up much closer to Beauty and Midnight, and Leafpool noticed that Beauty's tail, though it always rested on Midnight while they slept, was resting on Dreamkit's back too.

Her poor little kit would be so upset tomorrow when she had to leave her only friend. She had her siblings of course, but she just didn't get along with them as well as she did with Midnight. Leafpool had to admit, off all her kits she was most fond of Dreamkit. Her little tiny Dreamkit who was the darker image of her father. But when they got home, Dreamkit could no longer be her kit. She would have to be Squirrelflight's for her own sake, just like her siblings.

Leafpool couldn't stand to have her little Dreamkit not know that she was her mother.

Though she had tried to best not to bond with all four kits, she had bonded with Dreamkit.

And now she had a decision to make.


	2. Chapter 2

Early the next morning The three she-cats woke the kits and nudged them outside the small abandoned shed that was Beauty's home.

While Squirrelflight gathered "her kits" around her, Leafpool took Beauty a few steps away.

"Beauty, you've done so much for us, and I am so grateful, but. . . I just can't stand the thought of Dreamkit not knowing that I'm her mother." Leafpool started.

Closing her eyes the she-cat took a deep breathe. "I was up almost all night thinking about this, about how she's so close to you and Midnight already and how I can't stand to loose her. I. . . I was wondering if maybe. . . Maybe you would take her in. Raise her to know that I am her mother, and know why I had to come here to have my kits and why I left her here. If I leave her here with you I would be able to come as often as I possibly could to see her." she whispered.

After a moment of silence, Leafpool lifted her head and opened her eyes to meet Beauty's. The grey she-cat was starring at Leafpool. After a long moment of thought Beauty nodded.

"Of course I will take her in for you. You are a good mother Leafpool, and I hate it that your kits will never be able to know you're their mother. I will raise Dreamkit and explain everything to her when she is old enough to understand." Beauty promised.

Leafpool let out a breathe of relief, and bowed her head.

"Thank you so much Beauty. May StarClan know that you have done Dreamkit and I a huge favour. I will not forget all you have done for us. Thank you." she whispered.

"Your welcome. Remember you are always welcome here if you ever need a place to stay." Beauty told her.

The two she-cats touched noses and Leafpool trotted off to Dreamkit. She picked up her kit by the scruff and brought her back towards the shed. She sat the little she-kit against the outside wall and crouched in front of her. Her little kit starred back at her mother with her bright green eyes and smiled at her.

"Dreamkit my dear. Squirrelflight, Lionkit, Hollykit, Jaykit and I are going back to ThunderClan. But I want you to stay here with Beauty and Midnight. Beauty will take very good care of you, and you will have Midnight. You will be healthy and happy here with them." Leafpool whispered softly.

Dreamkit starred at her mother and tilted her small head. "But why mama?" she asked.

"Because when I get home, I will not be allowed to treat your siblings like my kits. They will never know that I am their mother. But I want you to always know. I promise I will always come to visit you. Whenever I get the chance, I will come, and bring news of your siblings." Leafpool promised.

Dreamkit flicked her small ear. "Alright mama." she said.

Leafpool smiled and then thought for a moment. "Your not a clan cat. Dreamkit is a clan name. So from now on, your name will be Dreamfeather. After your father." she reached forward and touched her nose to her daughters, praying to StarClan that they watch over her daughter because she had clan blood.

When Leafpool pulled back, she found Goldenflower, the beautiful pale ginger she-cat who had joined StarClan so recently, standing beside her daughter.

Goldenflower smiled at Leafpool and rested her starry tail on Dreamfeather's back.

Dreamfeather looked up at the she-cat and just blinked.

"I will forever look after your daughter Leafpool. She is like you in many ways, for she can see StarClan cats. I will help her walk with you in dreams. But you broke the warrior code twice Leafpool and for that there is a price. You will only walk with your daughter in dreams once every season." Goldenflower promised.

With wide eyes Leafpool bowed her head in respect and thanks to the StarClan warrior who she had once taken care of. "Thank you Goldenflower." she whispered, and when she lifted her head again the warrior was gone.

"Be good for Beauty Dreamfeather. I love you." she whispered.

After touching her nose to her daughter's ear, Leafpool turned back to join Squirrelflight with the three remaining kits. Squirrelflight didn't question her sister as they said goodbye, gathered the remaining kits, and trudged out though the snow. Leafpool lead the way thought the thick snow as behind her, Squirrelflight nudged the kits on, speaking words of encouragement and occasionally carrying the blind Jaykit in her jaws.

Leafpool looked back only once, to see Dreamfeather, Midnight and Beauty all sitting by the shed, watching them leave.

"Good bye my daughter." Leafpool whispered. "Your destiny is greater then the destinies of your siblings, and one day, you'll know that."


	3. Chapter 3

Two full years had passed since that day when Leafpool and Squirrelflight had left me here with Beauty and Midnight.

I met with my mother all the time in my dreams, but she had to be very careful now because Jayfeather, her apprentice and my brother, knew how to walk in dreams, and if he ever heard us talking in one of those dreams, everything would be ruined.

Midnight rolled over beside me, landing half in his mothers nest.

Midnight had grown into a handsome tom, tall and very well muscled under his sleek black fur.

"Get off of me you huge fur ball." Beauty complained, shoving her son away and standing up to stretch.

I sat up and purred a laugh as Midnight leaped to his feet, shaking his head, blinking his sleepy blue eyes and looking around confused. His gaze rested on me as I sat with my tail curled around my paws and laughed softly. His eyes narrowed and he crouched down.

"You have a problem Dream?" he asked me.

With a name as long as Dreamfeather, I often just went by Dream.

"No, I'm just laughing at you." I replied, smiling.

Midnight growled and leaped at me, his claws sheathed. We wrestled on the leaf covered floor of the shed, no one winning. Though I was much sleeker and smaller then him, I still was just as strong. We had grown up together, learning the same moves as the other did. We where evenly matched in a fight. When our wrestling match had gone on long enough with no one winning, Beauty broke us up, purring as she pushed her way between us.

"Enough you two!" she called, her blue eyes laughing as we separated.

I sat down and curled my long black tail around my paws once more as I looked at her.

Beauty was like a second mother to me. She had raised me since I was a tiny kit. She had raised me like she had promised my mother. Since I was old enough to remember and understand, Beauty had told me everything.

I was a clan cat, born to the ThunderClan medicine cat, which was bad enough, but my father, Crowfeather, had been from a different clan. With both of those things against me and my three siblings, my mother and her sister had come here so my mother could have her kits, and then brought them back to the clan and Squirrelflight, my mother's sister, had claimed my three siblings as her own so they could grow up as normal warriors.

I knew that the warrior life would not have been a good one for me. I enjoyed my life as a loner with Beauty and Midnight. My only regret was that I had never met my siblings. And now I would never meet Hollyleaf, my only sister, because she was gone. Dead. I never saw her among the ranks of the StarClan cat's I often saw in my dreams and in the waking world, but Leafpool had told me what had happened.

Midnight leaped to his paws again, snapping me out of my thoughts as he charged towards the door.

"Come on Dreams let's go hunting." he called.

Purring I nudged Beauty's ear, promising to be back with food, and charged after my friend.

Of course, it became a race between us as we sped towards the border to our territory. I had to hand it to Midnight, he was pretty fast, but I had WindClan blood and I tore ahead. We had to almost skid to a halt at our border, or else run right into the loner Grumble's territory. We sat for a few minutes to catch our breath, then headed out through the trees to hunt.

It was routine for us to hunt together, and we knew just the way the other hunted, so we headed to the same location as always.

Midnight stuck to the tree's while I crouched at the edge of the small meadow in our territory. I sniffed the air and quickly caught the sent of rabbit. I watched carefully until I spotted the little grey creature nibbling on a patch of grass. I crouched low, ears down, tail just above the ground, and crept silently forward one paw in front of the other slowly. I crept as close as possible to the fluffy animal then let out a burst of speed only WindClan cat's had, and charged. The rabbit barely had time to hop a few tail lengths before I pounced and killed it.

Midnight left the tree's to join me with his two birds, and together we hunted up a few mice to bring home.

Carrying my rabbit and a mouse I lead the way back home, calling out for Beauty when we entered the building.

Like always she lifted her head from her thick nest of moss and leaves in the corner and greeted us happily.

"Great hunting!" she complimented when we dropped our prey in the opposite corner.

Midnight, bored right away like he always was and just paced around the shed.

"Let's go swimming or something." he complained, flicking his tail.

With a sigh Beauty flicked her ear and rested her head on her paws.

"Go on by yourselves, I'm to old to be wandering as far as the river now. But could you bring me back some water please?" she asked.

I licked her ear. "Course we can Beauty. See you later." I said, and once more left the shed.

Midnight lead the way this time to the still river that mark part of our border to unclaimed land. The water was warm this time of year, when it was always very hot outside, but it was refreshing to stand belly deep in the water and watch the small fish swim by. Like always we tried to catch those fish that swam by our paws, but we where never able to catch even one. The only time I could remember seeing a fish out of water was back when I was still pretty young. Beauty had brought us here and had scooped one of those fish right out of the water. It had tasted amazing, and I'd tried to catch my own ever since.

After a little while, we gathered some moss and brought it home dripping wet to Beauty when we knew it would soon be dark. We ate our meal and then when Beauty had already curled up in her nest, we followed her over to that far corner where we always slept. Midnight and I curled up side by side, our backs pressed against each others and fell asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

That was the way our days always went by, hunting, playing and swimming. Sometimes we would climb trees, sometimes we would explore the territory across the river. But all the time Beauty grew older and weaker, and a moon later I had become very worried about her. She wasn't even that old, only 6 years, but her eye had become dull and she no longer had any strength. Midnight and I hunted her favourite foods and constantly carried water soaked moss to her, but still she didn't change. Midnight and I no longer left her unless we where hunting or getting water, staying by her side as much as we could, and trying our hardest to make her better. But neither of us where medicine cat's and I hadn't been able to talk to Leafpool in so long. It was mid summer one morning, when Midnight and I returned to the shed with our prey we'd just caught. Beauty was curled in her nest, like always nowadays, but when we called out to her, she didn't respond.

We knew something was wrong right then, because no matter what, she always greeted us when we entered our home. We dropped our prey right there and raced to her side. The older she-cat was curled up, her eyes closed and her paws tucked under her comfortably. But when Midnight asked "Mama?" she didn't respond. Panic washed over me as I crouched down beside her and touched my nose to her cheek. "Beauty?" I whispered. No response. I closed my eyes and held up my paw just above her mouth and nose. I could feel no breathe coming from her. Determined that she was okay and just sleeping I closed my eyes and listened as hard as I could. But I could not here the sound of her breathing, because she was not. "No." Midnight whispered. "No, no, no." Tears came to my eyes as finally reality sank in and I knew that Beauty was dead. She had joined the star's while we where out hunting. For a long time Midnight and I crouched together and cried. She was dead, the she-cat was had raised us and loved us was dead. All we could do was huddle together and mourn for her. Beauty had been much more of a mother to me then Leafpool had ever been. I had seen Beauty every day of my life, she had treated me like her own daughter and raised me and taught me everything I knew.

A long time later, when the sky had become dark and the stars had been out for a while I lifted my head and rested it on Beauty's. Silently Midnight watched as I closed my eyes. "May StarClan light your path Beauty. You where not a clan cat, but you did an honourable thing for more then one clan cat and StarClan will honour that." I whispered. There was nothing we could do in the pitch black darkness, so Midnight and I curled up in our nest's, with our back against each other's like always, and slept.

The next morning we woke and silently carried Beauty outside. We buried her right outside the shed, where a patch of sunshine always shone threw the tree's. It was her favourite spot. When we finished we sat side by side for a few moments and said our goodbyes to the cat who had raised us. We ate the prey from yesterday, but we just couldn't stay there in that shed, with Beauty's grave just outside. We knew it would never be the same in this little place we had grown up in. "We have to leave. There's no way in StarClan either of us can stay here." I whispered after we had eaten. "I know. We should go north, towards the clans. Maybe we can find a way to talk to your mother." Midnight replied in a soft voice. And so we left behind our home and Beauty's grave and headed North. We traveled the rest of the day, and spent the night in a hollowed out tree. The next morning we headed off again, and finally I began to smell the sent of the clans. I could tell that the sent was WindClan from the times I had met a few of the brand new cats that had just joined StarClan. We headed around them, making sure to go around their borders, until we smelled ThunderClan.

When we where sure we where just outside their territory I stopped for a minutes and breathed in the strange yet somehow familiar sent. "What's wrong Dream?" Midnight asked, nudging my shoulder with his nose. "I should smell like that. I should be on the other side of that border. I would be if I hadn't grown so close to you when we where kits. My mom would have taken me along with my siblings." I whispered, starring into the tree's. Midnight pressed his side against mine. "Do you want to be there? A clan cat? If you truly want to go and join them, then go. I'll follow." he told me. I turned my head to look at him closely. "You would do that?" I asked him. "Of course. I'd do anything for you." he replied. I smiled, and twined my tail with his. "Thanks Midnight. But I don't think the clan life would be right for us. Beside's I like it much better out here with you." I told him. Smiling to he purred an nudged my muzzle with his nose. "Come on then, we don't want to be caught this close to their border." he said.

And so we traveled along even father, until we where far along the ThunderClan border. Then, once we where sure we where far from WindClan, we turned and headed father away from the ThunderClan border. We didn't go to far, just enough so that ThunderClan would not know we where there. First we hunted, gathering mice and then sat down to eat. When we finished, we went in search of a place to live. It took us most of that day, just wandering around that small area until we finally came across a large hollowed out log. "This could work. If we use wet mud and branches on one end to block it off, we can use leaves and twigs to make an entrance on the other. There's plenty of room inside for nest's a prey pile." Midnight said as we sniffed around the log. And so it was. We worked until dark to block one end of the log and make an entrance for the other. Then we gathered moss to make nest's and settled in for the night


	5. Chapter 5

That night I dreamed, and for the first time that season, I finally met with Leafpool.

"Mom! Oh Leafpool everything's changed!" I cried in my dream, rushing towards her.

Leafpool nuzzled my cheek comfortingly. "Oh Dreamfeather my dear I know. I was at the moonpool last night, and Beauty was there. She was there because of you. StarClan let her join their ranks because she helped out a clan member in need without a second thought and your words welcomed her to the stars. Oh Dreamfeather I'm so sorry. I know how much you and Midnight loved her, but she's better now, healthy and strong and happy." Leafpool comforted me as best as she could.

"We couldn't stay there mom. We left the shed yesterday after we buried Beauty." I told her. "We're just outside ThunderClan territory now. We've found a fallen log we can live in." I explained.

"Your so close! Oh Dreamfeather I have to come see you! Where exactly are you?" she begged.

So I told her as best as I could, trying to remember land marks. "I know where that is!" she whispered.

"We'll lay some markers for our territory tomorrow morning. Then you'll be able to find us." I told her.

"Tomorrow night then. I'll sneak out later on at night. I sleep close to the entrance to the warriors den so it should be easy to get away." she said.

"The warriors den? But you're a medicine cat!" I replied, flicking my ears in surprise.

"Not anymore, everything's changed for me too. I'll explain tomorrow, but we should both get some rest now. Goodnight Dreamfeather." she said, and then she was gone, and I was left confused and worried as I fell asleep.

The next morning I told Midnight what Leafpool had said. Happy to know she was coming and he insisted on going out to make borders right away. So we left our new home early to do so, and returned home a little while later to finish making our home perfect.

The sky was dark and I was just finishing clean the mud of my paws when I heard the sound of a something approaching. Midnight and I stood side by side, our ears pricked as we waited.

And then Leafpool stepped out of the bushes and spotted us, and she let out a meow of pure joy. I couldn't stop myself from leaping forward and pressing close to her. Finally, for the first time since I was just a new born kit, I got to be with my mother in the waking world.

Midnight was slower to approach, but Leafpool greeted him as happily as she did me.

"Oh look at you! You've gotten so big! Last time I saw you, you where a tiny kit!" she cried, looking Midnight over.

He flicked his ears, embarrassed and looked at his paws.

"I can't believe you're here, I've missed you both so much! When I saw Beauty the other night in StarClan I was so worried." she added, purring and weaving between us. "So you will live here from now on?" she asked, finally stopping and standing before us.

Midnight and I exchanged a glance. "Yes, I suppose we will." he said.

"That's wonderful! I'll come and see you as often as I can get away." she promised.

We got her to explain why she was suddenly a warrior instead of a medicine cat, and I felt bad for her that her secret had been blown. But at least my siblings knew who their mother really was. It was so wonderful to finally be with my mother, but it couldn't last long.

"I have to get back before someone wakes and finds me gone. I'll be back soon though. Goodbye!" she said, and raced away.

"So that's your mother. I like her, but you don't look anything like her." Midnight commented when she was gone.

"I look like my dad apparently. But I suppose I'll never know. He's a WindClan cat." I shrugged. "At least you have your mother. And you've got me still." he replied and smiled.

For a full moon we learned our territory. It soon became so familiar to us, that after two moons had passed it was hard to think that we had ever not lived there. Leafpool came as often as she could, bringing clan news with her, but she never stayed long.

One morning, three moons after we had arrived in our new home, I was wandering alone along our border closest to Thunderclan when I heard voices on the other side of our border. Curious, I climbed up the closest tree. I crept along a branch until I could see over the pile of boulders into a small clearing.

Three cats that smelled of ThunderClan where sniffing around the little clearing, searching. The two older ones where toms, one a gray tabby, the other a golden tabby. The third was a younger pale gray she-cat.

"Alright, I think we're good here. We're outside the border so there's no chance of having ThunderClan cats find us, so we're free to talk about the prophecy and everything else here. Our only worry is loners, and if their smart they'll stay away." the huge golden tabby said, meeting the other two cats in the center of the clearing.

"Come on, we need to practice. We won't be disturbed here." the golden tom said, and then pounced.

But the other two where ready for him. The young she-cat dodged out of the way, and the gray tom padded off to sit at the edge of the clearing.

"Nice try! But your going to have to do better then that to get me Lionblaze!" the young she-cat called out.

I almost fell off the branch. _Lionblaze?_ But that was my brother's name!

So that meant, that the golden tabby down there. . . He was my brother!

I watched, much more intent now as the two warriors practiced their fighting moves. It was amazing, both of them where such skilled fighters I was sure they where going to hurt each other. But the entire time neither of them got hurt. Not even a scratch! While they fought I was able to get a good look at the gray tom as he sat off by himself. His blue eyes where turned in the direction of the two fighting cats, but they didn't follow them, as if he couldn't see them. As I thought about that I began to wonder if maybe he was Jayfeather, my second brother, the medicine cat. My question was answered when the two fighting cats broke apart. The she-cat was parting, but the tom was hardly sweating.

"Jayfeather come on! You've got to get some fighting training in too! Dovepaw knows how to fight, it's your turn now." Lionblaze called.

I watched as my second, blind brother stood and walked easily to the other too. "Do I really have too? I'm a medicine cat!" he growled.

"If there's ever an attack you'll need to know how to fight well. You might be attacked while your trying to help someone who's hurt, and there might not be someone there to help you." Lionblaze insisted.

After that I watched as Dovepaw and Lionblaze worked with Jayfeather. It was not the harsh fighting they had been doing earlier, but this time it was quick easy moves that Jayfeather could do when we located a cat by sound. I discovered Jayfeather could fight as long as he knew where his enemy was, and pretty well too. By the time the three cats finished off it was late afternoon.

"We'll come here every other day alright? We'll be able to practice and discuss the prophecy openly." Lionblaze said before they headed off.

I scrambled down the tree and raced back to the den.

"Where have you been? I was starting to get really worried!" Midnight called racing forward to meet me.

"I'm sorry, but you'll never guess what I found!" I said, and explained everything to him.


	6. Chapter 6

**_(I'd just like to say thanks to Loudheart14! Thank you so much for the advice! I really appreciate it, and i took it! I've changed these chapter's so that it's all separated!)_**

That night I went to sleep thinking of my brothers. It would be so nice to actually talk to them, introduce myself and learn more about them, I thought as I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.

For the next moon I went to the tree every other day to watch the three ThunderClan warriors train. The entire time I gathered up my nerve to go and talk to them. Sometimes Midnight would stay with me, sometimes he would go somewhere else, but he never complained about me sitting in the tree for so long to watch them.

One day, an entire moon sense I had first seen them I sat in the tree alone to watch the three. They had been practicing a while that day, and where sitting down for a break when I finally gathered my nerve and jumped down from the tree. I climbed up the boulders on my side of the border and sat up on the top of one.

For a moment I just sat there, with my tail curled around my small black paws and waited. It was the she-cat who saw me first. She jumped up, hissing and arching her back. Lionblaze was quick to realise the problem, but he was much more calm as he stood beside his apprentice. Jayfeather remained sitting, waiting for something to happen.

"Can we help you?" Lionblaze asked me.

I blinked and flicked an ear. "No, I just wanted to say hello." I replied calmly.

"Hello? You're a loner! Get out of here before I claw you to shreds." Dovepaw hissed.

I gazed at her calmly, and just blinked again.

"This isn't your territory is it young cat?" I asked, which just made her all the more mad.

Lionblaze had to step in front of her to keep her from flying at me as I remained sitting on the rocks.

"This isn't your territory either, and your very close to the ThunderClan border. Why?" Lionblaze asked me.

"My territory starts just on the other side of these rocks. As to why I'm so close to your border, well. I guess I just wanted to be close when we came here. I believe I have the right to at least be close seeing as I have ThunderClan blood." I replied.

Dovepaw's fury was instantly gone. "ThunderClan blood? Impossible! No one has had a kit gone missing!" she cried.

"Of course it's possible. You just weren't born when my mother had her kits." I replied.

"You look about the same age as Jayfeather and I. There where no kits missing when we where born." Lionblaze said.

"That's because I didn't go missing. Only two ThunderClan cat's even know I exist." I replied.

"If you're a ThunderClan cat why aren't you part of ThunderClan then?" Dovepaw asked.

"My mother wanted me to stay with the she-cat who was there when I was born. And I never said I was pure ThunderClan." I explained.

There was a noise behind me and Midnight scrambled up the rocks to join me. Silently he came to stand almost protectively beside me and gazed down at the ThunderClan cats.

"This makes no sense! Is he part ThunderClan too?" Dovepaw asked looking Midnight over.

"No. I'm a loner." Midnight replied.

"So your part loner too then?" Lionblaze asked me.

"No." I said.

"Kittypet?" he asked.

"No." I repeated.

Obviously getting annoyed Lionblaze growled. "Then what are you?" he asked, his tail flicking sharply back and forth.

"I'm like you. ThunderClan mother, WindClan father." I said.

There was silence for a moment, then Jayfeather stood and walked closer to the rocks, turning his blind gaze up at me.

"What are you saying?" he asked.

I looked calmly down at him. "I mean exactly what you think I mean Jayfeather. My mother is Leafpool and my father is Crowfeather. The only difference between you and I, my brother, is that our mother left me at the shed we where born in, in the care of Beauty, the she-cat who lived in that shed and allowed our mother and aunt to stay there while our mother had her kits. The two of you, Lionblaze and Jayfeather are my brothers." I said simply.

For a long moment no one said anything, but finally Jayfeather nodded.

"It's true. Leafpool always kept me from reading her thoughts until we discovered the truth, and recently her thoughts have been open. But there's been one spot that she's been making sure to keep from me. I'm guessing it's we've got another sister." he said.

I waited a moment to speak. "I'm sorry about Hollyleaf. Mom told me what happened to her. I wish I was able to meet her like I have you." I said quietly.

This caused another quiet moment, then finally Lionblaze looked back up at me.

"Well, come down from there then. You seem to know Jayfeather and I, but this is my apprentice Dovepaw." he said.

I looked at Midnight for a minute, then gracefully jumped down from the rock and stood before the ThunderClan cats. "My name's Dreamfeather, after our father apparently. Call me Dream though, it's easier. And this is Midnight." I said as flicking my tail towards my friend as he jumped down beside me.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, though it is a shock. Does Leafpool know you're here?" Lionblaze asked me.

"Yes, she comes and visits us often." I replied.

Jayfeather huffed angrily. "She's got so many secrets it's impossible to know if we can even trust her anymore. We'll talk to her later." he growled, and I began to realise he was not a very happy cat at anytime.

"I know your clan will be looking for you, but if it's possible you can stay later on tonight. Leafpool said she would try to come tonight to visit us." I said, flicking my tail.

Lionblaze and Jayfeather exchanged looks and thought for a moment. "We'll go back and leave Dovepaw at camp, then we'll come back here." Lionblaze finally said.

"What? No way! I want to come! You can't leave me back at camp!" Dovepaw yowled furiously.

Lionblaze met her glaring eyes. "This is family business Dovepaw. It's got nothing to do with the prophecy. I promise if anything major happens I'll tell you later." he told her in a strong voice that obviously meant he would not budge on letting her come.

Still furious Dovepaw shuffled her feet and huffed. "Fine." she growled, glaring at the ground.

Trying to cheer her up I spoke up. "You're a good fighter for someone so young Dovepaw. You can hold your own well against a cat almost twice your size." I said, flicking my tail towards Lionblaze. This worked and she cheered up quickly.

"Thanks! Lionblaze has taught me everything! Can you fight?" she asked curiously.

I shrugged. "A little, but I've only ever fought with Midnight and Beauty." I replied.

"Come on! Let's see if you can beet me! It would be good practice." she insisted, stepping back into the middle of the clearing and looking me over. She was smiling, obviously thinking that sense I was so sleek and small I would be no fight at all. But when Lionblaze called out for us to go, she was in for a shock.

I held my own pretty well against her. She was much stronger, but I was quicker and smaller and knew moves she didn't. It wasn't long before I had spun and pinned her down. At first she just starred up at me with wide eyes, then she was grinning hugely.

"Awesome! Can you show me how you did that?" she asked, scrambling to her feet.

The rest of the afternoon was spent by Midnight and I showing the clan cats the moves we had learned from Beauty.


	7. Chapter 7

Later that night Lionblaze and Jayfeather returned to the clearing to find me waiting for them on top of the rocks.

"Come on, she meets us at our den." I said and lead the way.

Leafpool arrived to find us talking quietly, and crouched down when we all turned to look at her. "Oh, umm." she murmured nervously.

"You've kept enough secrets, why didn't you tell us about Dream?" Lionblaze growled.

"She's always been a secret. I didn't want you to try looking for her. Our clan needs you." she whispered.

"The clan could need Dream too, but you left her as a loner." Jayfeather countered.

"I'm sorry! I just couldn't take her away! She and Midnight where already so close!" Leafpool cried.

"Did you ever think maybe we would be close to her too? But you never gave us the chance." Lionblaze growled, and he and Jayfeather had nothing else to say to her.

"Sorry mom." I whispered.

Leafpool looked like she might cry, but she turned and ran instead.

For a moment no one spoke. "We should get back to camp. We'll see you day after tomorrow right?" Lionblaze asked.

"Yes, we'll be there." I replied. I touched noses with them both, and they left.

True to my word the next meeting the clan cats had in the clearing Midnight and I joined them. Sitting off to the side with Jayfeather I watched as Lionblaze, Dovepaw and Midnight taught each other moves and practiced their fighting.

After a while I managed to get Jayfeather to talk about being a medicine cat. I quickly became fascinated by all the amazing herbs and ways to treat wounds and sicknesses.

Two moons passed while Jayfeather taught me medicines and the others trained. Jayfeather became more open with me and was more then willing to talk.

I grew to really like him, and we became close, almost like we had grown up together. Like we should have.

It was one afternoon when the fighters where taking a break that Jayfeather surprised me.

"You know, back at ThunderClan I need an apprentice. I think you would be great at the job." he commented.

"Me?" I squeaked.

"Yeah. You've picked up on all the herbs and mixes really well, I think you'd do a good job. Think about it." he told me.

"Well, I don't know. I mean, ThunderClan doesn't even know I exist. They wouldn't let me join!" I said.

"Course they would. Leafpool owes us. We'd get her to tell Firestar you're her daughter and they'd welcome you. Midnight too. You're an awesome fighter, you'd be a great addition to the warriors den." Lionblaze added.

Midnight nodded his thanks, but looked at me to see what I was thinking.

"I really don't know. I'd love to be a medicine cat, but a clan?" I said.

"You should try it out. Come and if you don't like it, you can leave." Jayfeather insisted.

"Think about it tonight. If you want to then come tomorrow. If not, we'll see you soon." Lionblaze added, and with a flick of his tail, led the others towards home.

That night I did think about it. I thought almost all night. By the next morning, when the sun rose, I had made my decision.

Midnight was quick to agree, and when the sun was high in the sky, we said goodbye to our home and headed towards the ThunderClan border.

Hesitantly we crossed the sent markers and headed into the trees.

The quiet was almost scary as we crept along, following our noses to where the cat sent was strongest.

We made it half way there by ourselves.

A patrol of four cats appeared through the bushes, teeth bared as they stood before us.

Only one wasn't threatening. Dovepaw was grinning and gave us a small purr.

"You came!" she chirped happily.

"Dovepaw. You know these cats?" a huge dark brown tabby growled.

"Yes Brambleclaw." Dovepaw replied.

"Why are you on ThunderClan territory?" asked a golden brown tom.

"We've come to join your clan." I replied.

"And what makes you think we'll let you?" asked Brambleclaw.

"I've got ThunderClan blood in my veins. I at least should be allowed to talk to your leader." I replied calmly.

This was received with shocked expressions.

"Come on Brambleclaw! I know them! Their good cats, and they'll be awesome for our clan!" Dovepaw chirped.

Brambleclaw glared at us and thought for a moment. "Come on then, we'll take you to Firestar." he grumbled, turning to lead the way.

"Sorreltail, run ahead and warn Firestar." he snapped at the tortoiseshell she-cat with them and she ran off.

Dovepaw fell in side me. "Brambleclaw's our deputy, and the other tom is Thornclaw." she explained as we walked.

We reached a thorn tunnel with a gray tabby sitting at the entrance. The she-cat nodded as we went by, but let us enter.

Inside, the camp was amazing. Cat's where everywhere, and all of them carried the sent of ThunderClan that I had grown so used to.

Dovepaw scampered off quickly, but I couldn't see any of my family anywhere.


	8. Chapter 8

We where led quickly up a tumble of rocks to a small cave.

"Firestar? We've brought them." Brambleclaw paused at the entrance.

"Come in." a voice replied.

We where led inside the little cave to find a ginger tom cat sitting in the back. He gazed at us with calm green eyes and I understood at once why his name was Firestar.

"Welcome to ThunderClan. Sorreltail say's you wish to join?" he asked.

"Yes. I have ThunderClan blood, but I was born outside the clans." I said quietly after bowing my head respectfully.

"And how is that possible?" he asked.

Before I could reply there was a scrambling noise as someone climbed up the rocks, and Jayfeather entered the cave. "She's my sister." he said, walking to stand beside me.

I smiled at him, grateful he had come to the rescue. He rested his tail on my back and gazed at Firestar.

"You don't have a sister anymore Jayfeather. This cat is not Hollyleaf." Firestar told the tom gently.

"I have a second sister. If you want proof get Leafpool." Jayfeather snapped.

And so Leafpool was fetched, and when she entered the cave to see Midnight and I standing in her leaders den she gasped.

"Oh no. Why are you here?" she whispered, her eyes wide in shock and fight.

"We've come to join ThunderClan." I replied.

"Leafpool is this she-cat you daughter?" Firestar asked from behind me.

Leafpool looked down at her paws. "Yes Firestar. She was born when Jayfeather and Lionblaze where, but I left her with a loner to live that life." she whispered in a small and ashamed voice.

Firestar huffed and starred at me for a long moment.

"What about you?" he asked, moving his gaze to Midnight.

"I'm a loner, but I would like to join your clan too." Midnight said.

"What are your names?" Firestar asked.

Midnight replied quickly, but I wasn't sure what to say.

"My name is Dreamfeather, but I go by Dream." I finally replied.

"Well, as a clan cat you will be able to use Dreamfeather." Firestar told me.

I looked up hopefully. "Does that mean we can stay?" I asked.

Firestar smiled. "Of course you may. ThunderClan can use all the warriors it can get. Besides, you are my own grandchild, how could I refuse you and your friend?" he said and the look he gave us was very friendly.

"Thank you Firestar!" Midnight breathed.

"Come along, we'll tell the clan and hold your apprentice ceremonies now." Firestar said.

The tom stood to leave, but Jayfeather got in the way.

"I want Dreamfeather to be my apprentice." he announced.

Firestar was shocked. "Is that possible? She was born a loner? Will StarClan accept her?" he asked.

"We already have. Dreamfeather has seen and spoken with us sense she was born. We will happily accept her as a medicine cat." the voice came from Goldenflower.

The StarClan she-cat had appeared in the entrance to the cave and was smiling at me.

Firestar starred at the starry cat for a long moment then bowed his head. "Then that's what she will be." he said and left the den.

Smiling, Jayfeather led us down the rocks as Firestar called the meeting.

"ThunderClan we have two cats here who wish to join our ranks." he started. Murmuring spread quickly as cats turned to look at us. "Midnight and Dream are loners, but as it turns out, Dream has ThunderClan blood. She was born to Leafpool with her three siblings, but grew up a loner. We will welcome both of them to our clan today." Firestar called.

"Midnight, step forward. From this moment until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Midnightpaw. Mousewhisker. You are young, but I wish you to teach this tom the ways of the clans as your apprentice." Firestar announced. A pale gray and black tom stepped out of the crowd and touched noses with Midnightpaw. They drew back into the crowd together. "Dream. You have a special path in the clans. From this moment on your name will be Dreamfeather and you will train as a medicine cat apprentice under Jayfeather." Firestar said.

The cats around me turned to look at me in shock.

"StarClan has spoken and they have already accepted her as a medicine cat." Firestar spoke from the rock, and his clan calmed down.

Jayfeather touched noses with me. Purring the tom put his tail on my back and led me away. "Come on, I'll show you the medicine cat's den." he said.

It was amazing. I had my own nest in the medicine cat's den, and Jayfeather showed me where all of the herbs where. I went right to work, chewing up leaves and mixing them to store for later. For five moons this is how I lived my life.


	9. Chapter 9

Five moons passed, Midnightpaw quickly became Midnightfrost and joined the warriors den.

I helped Jayfeather treat all sorts of injuries and sicknesses around the camp, and for the most part, I enjoyed it.

But there was always something in the back of my head that I did not like about the clan. When I finally realised what that thing was it came as a surprise.

There where just to many rules. No loyalties outside the clan. No mates for medicine cats. Deputy MUST be chosen before sunhigh. There was just to much control. No one was living a free life.

Midnightfrost came the medicine cats den one night to talk with me. I missed spending so much time with him. I told him now what I though about all the rules.

"Well, I guess your right. But what can we do? We're not leaders." he said.

"But what if we where? What if we made our own clan Midnightfrost? A clan with more freedom!" I said.

He smiled but shook our head. "How?" he asked.

"We'd tell the clan, and we'd leave. We could search for a territory close by, and then we'd open our clan to loners and rouges and kitty pets who want to join. You could be the leader! I would be the medicine cat, and we'd make sure there where less rules to follow in our clan. We could do it!" I insisted.

Midnightfrost starred at me for a long moment. "Your on to something. I think it would work. Let's do it. Tomorrow?" he asked.

"Tomorrow." I agreed.

And so it happened, the next day Midnightfrost and I stood before the clan and told them we where leaving.

We where leaving to make our own clan, one with less rules where all cats would be welcome. Some cats glared, but a few smiled at us. I made sure to add we where grateful to everyone. When we left, some actually followed.

Lionblaze, Dovewing, Leafpool, Cinderheart, Foxleap, Hazeltail and Icecloud. Jayfeather only gazed at us longingly.

"I want to come. But I can not leave ThunderClan without a medicine cat." he said sadly.

My heart broke. I had grown so close to my brother! I could not leave him.

"I'll go to the moonpool. I know enough, I'll become the medicine cat." Brightheart stepped forward.

Jayfeather hesitated, then nodded.

"We'll stop at the moonpool on the way there." I replied, then with a flick of my tail, told my new clan mates to head out.

"Thank you once more. I'm sorry." I said, then turned and left.

We did stop at the moonpool, and while Jayfeather and Brightheart held the ceremony, I went to the other side of the pool, took a small sip and closed my eyes.

Opening them again, I was in a meadow, and StarClan cats surrounded me.

"I'm sorry." I whispered.

Goldenflower stepped forward to stand before me. "You are a brave cat Dreamfeather. We are not mad at you for leaving. But we warn you, be careful with your new clan. You will need some rules if you don't want to ruin your clan quickly." she said.

"I won't ruin it. I promise. We'll set a few rules, but we want cats to be free as well. Will StarClan watch over the new clan?" I asked hesitantly.

"Yes. StarClan will follow your clan as well as the old four. But you have to do one thing in return. Your clan must attend the meetings under the truce at the full moon every moon." she said.

"I promise. I will make sure we always attend." I promised.

Goldenflower smiled. "Then go peacefully Dreamfeather. StarClan watches over you and your clan." she said, and I was awake beside the moonpool.

Brightheart, the new medicine cat of ThunderClan wished us luck and went back to her clan. I nodded to Midnightfrost, and with a flick of his tail, he led the way.

We traveled back towards Midnihgtfrost and my old territory.

"We can use this." Midnightfrost claimed, standing in a rocky area where small caves circled a small clearing. "This is it! We're close to the other clans, this would be a perfect camp and there's lots of territory around here! It's perfect!" He insisted.

"We'll live here. Once Midnightfrost gets his lives and name and we've set the borders we'll spread the word to loners and rouges and kitty pets. Anyone who want to try the clan life will be welcome." I added.

That night Midnightfrost and I curled up side by side like we hadn't in a very long time. "Tomorrow you'll come with me to the moonpool to get my name and lives right?" he asked me. "I can't, Jayfeather's the medicine cat, only he can go." I replied.

Midnightfrost frowned but nodded. "Fine then, but you'll be here when we get back right?" he checked.

"Of course!" I purred.

"Thanks. I thought of a name for our clan." he said.

"What?" he asked.

"FreeClan. Because that's what we are." he said.

I purred. "It's perfect! We are FreeClan."


	10. Epilogue

Three years passed and FreeClan grew.

Midnightstar and his deputy Lionblaze kept the clan in control, but never where there to many rules that controlled everyone's lives.

Jayfeather had left the medicine cat duties to me as the full medicine cat so that he could train as a warrior.

My apprentice was Snowypaw, a former loner who had joined us.

Tigersoul, Treeleaf, Flowerpaw, and Owlfur had also joined FreeClan.

All the dens where full, Warrior, Apprentice, Elder and even nursery, though Cinderheart and Lionblaze's two kits where almost ready to be apprentices.

I was watching them now, the two kits tumbling around outside their den, when out of no where I was attacked by three other kits.

"Mommy! Play with us!" a small grey she-cat insisted.

Purring I let my three kits climb over my back. My two daughters, Beautifulkit, after Beauty and Echokit, and my son Bumblekit. The three where still very young, and they where full of energy.

"Stop attacking your mother." Midnightstar scolded lightly, lifting the kits from my back and placing them on the ground.

"But dad! We're bored." Bumblekit cried.

"Come on guys, come play catch with Flowerpaw and I!" Snowypaw called, and the kits scampered off to play.

Midnightstar sat beside me as we gazed around at our clan.

FreeClan was strong and healthy, and we would be part of the forest forever.


End file.
